Cooking and information security might seem like two worlds apart—one is an art of flavor, and the other a science of safeguarding data. Yet, despite their differences, they share surprising similarities in principles and practices. Let’s delve into the common ground and contrast these fields to reveal what they can teach us about precision, creativity, and risk management.

The Recipe for Success: Planning and Preparation

Cooking:  

In cooking, preparation is key. A great dish often starts with a well-thought-out recipe. Ingredients must be measured precisely, and the steps followed carefully to achieve the desired outcome. A misstep—whether an incorrect amount of seasoning or improper cooking times—can ruin the entire dish. Good cooks plan their steps, manage their time, and anticipate potential pitfalls. They often prepare “mise en place”, gathering all ingredients and tools before cooking.

Information Security:  

Similarly, in information security, planning is crucial. Before implementing security measures, professionals develop comprehensive strategies and policies to protect sensitive information. This includes identifying potential threats, evaluating vulnerabilities, and planning responses to incidents. A security strategy requires meticulous planning to ensure all potential risks are addressed and defenses are effectively deployed.

Like a recipe, a security plan needs to be followed carefully, with attention to detail. The plan is all about timing and resource utilization. Knowing what you will need and when you will need it can make all the difference between success and failure.

Ingredients and Tools: Precision and Quality

Cooking:

Ingredients and tools play a significant role in cooking. Fresh, high-quality ingredients can make a substantial difference in the final dish. A sharp knife or a precise thermometer can affect the texture and flavor of the food. Precision in measurement and technique is often what separates a good meal from a great one.

Information Security:  

In information security, “ingredients” are the tools and technologies used to protect data—firewalls, encryption algorithms, and antivirus software, for example. The quality and appropriateness of these tools can significantly impact the effectiveness of a security posture. Just as a cook chooses ingredients and tools carefully, security professionals select their tools based on the specific needs of their organization, ensuring they are up-to-date and effective.

Experimentation vs. Standardization: Creativity and Consistency

Cooking:

Cooking is both a science and an art. While recipes provide a standard guide, chefs often experiment with ingredients, flavors, and techniques to create unique dishes. Innovation is encouraged, and personal flair can lead to new and exciting culinary experiences. Creativity in cooking can lead to discovering new flavor combinations or refining techniques to achieve a perfect dish.

Information Security:  

In contrast, information security relies heavily on standardized practices and protocols. Compliance with regulations and adherence to established security frameworks (like ISO/IEC 27001 or NIST) is essential for ensuring consistent protection against threats. While there is room for innovation in developing new security technologies and strategies, the implementation of these measures follows strict guidelines to maintain integrity and reliability.

A seasoned chef knows when it is appropriate to leverage creativity in the preparation of a dish. Similarly, an adept security practitioner knows where there is room for creative license, versus when to follow tried and true practices. 

Risk Management: Anticipation and Response

Cooking:

Managing risk in cooking involves anticipating potential issues—such as food burning, flavors clashing, or ingredients spoiling—and having contingency plans. Chefs need to react quickly if something goes awry, adjusting seasonings or cooking times as needed. They must be engaged and aware of their dishes throughout their cooking process. Proper risk management ensures that despite occasional mishaps, the overall dining experience remains positive.

Information Security:  

Risk management in information security involves identifying potential threats, assessing their impact, and implementing measures to mitigate those risks. This includes having incident response plans in place to address security breaches swiftly and effectively. Like a chef adjusting a dish, security professionals must be prepared to respond to new threats and adapt their strategies as needed. They must also remain aware of their various systems, activities, and data so that they can course-correct early and avoid catastrophic events.

Feedback and Improvement: Learning and Evolving

Cooking:

Feedback is a critical part of cooking. Tasting the dish and getting input from others helps chefs refine their techniques and recipes. Tasting throughout the cooking process allows chefs to layer flavors and adjust early to achieve the best possible result. Continuous improvement is a part of the culinary journey, as chefs learn from each meal and strive to enhance their craft.

Information Security:

In information security, feedback comes from monitoring systems, analyzing security incidents, and reviewing performance metrics. Learning from breaches or near-misses helps refine security practices and improve defenses. Continuous improvement is vital to staying ahead of evolving threats and adapting to new challenges.

Conclusion

Cooking and information security, though vastly different in their daily practices, share foundational principles of planning, precision, and adaptation. Both fields require careful preparation, the right tools, and the ability to manage risks effectively. Whether you’re crafting a delectable dish or safeguarding sensitive data, attention to detail and a commitment to continual improvement are key to success. So, next time you’re preparing a meal or fortifying your digital defenses, remember that you’re mastering a craft that, in many ways, parallels the other.

Imagine you’re surrounded by all your tools—saws, chisels, clamps, and planes in your woodworking shop. Each tool serves a specific purpose, and not all are needed for every project. 

For example, when making dovetail joints, you don’t need your table saw, and when sanding a piece, your chisel is of no use. In woodworking, you wouldn’t give a beginner access to every single tool at once. Instead, you’d start them with the basics, gradually giving them access to more advanced tools as they prove their skills and understanding.

This approach not only keeps your tools safe from misuse but also ensures the safety and success of the woodworker.

This philosophy translates directly into cybersecurity, where we follow a principle called “least privilege.” In woodworking terms, think of it as only giving someone access to the tools they need for the task at hand, nothing more.

What is Least Privilege?

In cybersecurity, least privilege means that any user, program, or process is given the minimal level of access—or privileges—necessary to perform its function. It’s about limiting access to the bare essentials to reduce the potential for harm, just like in your workshop. You wouldn’t hand over your entire collection of woodworking tools to a novice; similarly, you wouldn’t give a new employee access to all the sensitive information and systems in your organization.

Why is Least Privilege Important?

Let’s say you’re working on a delicate inlay, and you’ve allowed a beginner to use your shop. If they have access to a power saw, they might accidentally damage the piece or, worse, hurt themselves. In the digital world, if a user has unnecessary access to critical systems or sensitive data, they might inadvertently—or maliciously—cause damage, expose confidential information, or introduce security vulnerabilities.

Just as you keep your prized, specialized tools under lock and key, protecting them from misuse, the principle of least privilege in cybersecurity protects your valuable digital assets from unnecessary exposure.

Applying Least Privilege: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Assess the Task at Hand: When you start a woodworking project, you first determine which tools are required. Similarly, in cybersecurity, you should evaluate what access each user or system needs. Does the accountant need access to the marketing database? Does the customer service team need admin rights on the company’s server? Identify the exact requirements.

2. Restrict Access to Essentials: Just as you wouldn’t hand out your entire tool collection, restrict users to only what they need. For a beginner, you might only provide them with a handsaw and sandpaper, gradually introducing more tools as they become proficient. In cybersecurity, one should limit access based on the principle of “need to know.” Only grant permissions that are necessary for the task.

3. Regularly Review Permissions: In your shop, as a woodworker gains experience, they might need access to more advanced tools. Similarly, in cybersecurity, user roles and responsibilities can change over time. Regularly review and update permissions to ensure they align with current needs. This prevents unnecessary privileges from lingering, reducing security risks.

4. Implement Layers of Security: In your workshop, you likely have different storage areas for various tools, some locked away securely. In cybersecurity, it’s wise to implement layers of protection, such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and firewalls. These act as additional barriers, ensuring that even if someone gains access to one layer, they don’t have free rein over everything.

5. Educate and Train: Before handing over more tools, you’d train a woodworker on how to use them safely. In cybersecurity, training is essential. Ensure that users understand the importance of least privilege and how to work within the access they’re granted.

Conclusion

In woodworking, the careful management of tools not only ensures the quality of your work but also the safety of everyone in the shop. In the digital realm, the principle of least privilege serves a similar purpose—protecting your data, systems, and organization from unnecessary risks. By carefully controlling access and regularly reviewing permissions, you build a more secure, efficient, and resilient environment.

So, the next time you step into your workshop, remember: just as you wouldn’t hand out your prized tools to everyone who walks in, be just as selective with your digital tools. Keep access to a minimum, and your work—and your cybersecurity—will be all the better for it.

This weekend I went to a local sandbar to snorkel with my wife. It was quite a beautiful day. While I had taken a break, my wife kept exploring and eventually called me over. As I was getting my gear, I looked out into the water and saw, swimming between us, a shark. I watched it for a second to see how it was behaving. I also started pantomiming and telling my wife that I had seen it. Finally, I got in the water and proceeded over to her, but I kept my eyes out for the shark.

Entering the cybersecurity landscape today is like stepping into the ocean after spotting a shark.

First, I observed the shark in the water. In cybersecurity, this is akin to noticing potential threats—like a phishing email or unusual network activity. Just as you wouldn’t ignore a shark, you can’t afford to ignore signs of a cyber threat. Observation is the first step in staying safe.

Next, I alerted my party. In the ocean, you’d call out to your friends, ensuring everyone is aware of the danger. Similarly, in cybersecurity, when you detect a threat, you must inform your team. This collective awareness is crucial for a coordinated response, just as everyone needs to be on the same page when a shark is nearby.

Finally, I proceeded with caution. Despite the danger, you still have to enter the water—perhaps you’re retrieving something or simply can’t avoid it. In cybersecurity, this means taking calculated steps forward, implementing protective measures, and being vigilant. You don’t rush in; instead, you move carefully, with constant awareness of your surroundings.

In both cases, the key is recognizing the risk, alerting others, and taking careful, informed actions to navigate safely.

As you may see over time, I live near the ocean and enjoy the water. Today, my wife was snorkeling near a small island in sheltered water. Suddenly she jumped up and shouted that she had seen lobsters...at least ten of them. I quickly got the lobster gear together for her so she could try her hand (I was on the lookout).

Sometime later she had successfully caught a small crab (not legal size, so it got to live to fight another day), but no lobster. When she got back to the boat she talked about how fast they are and how sneaky, and good hiders. Being a geek, I immediately thought of how that is similar to hunting a threat actor in our environment as a security professional.

Lobsters:

• Disguise their tracks

• Adapt quickly

• Use decoys (seagrass looks a lot like antennas)

• Blending In (they try to look like they belong)

Divers:

• Are constantly monitoring

• Set traps or nets

• Study patterns

• Respond quickly

In the world of cybersecurity, tracking down attackers is much like the relationship between a diver and a lobster. Just as a diver tries to catch a lobster hiding in the crevices of a coral reef, cybercriminals hide deep within networks, evading detection. The lobster, always alert, moves deeper into its hiding spot, staying just out of reach, while the diver adjusts their strategy, trying to anticipate its next move.

Cybersecurity professionals are like the diver—carefully observing patterns, looking for signs of movement, and devising tactics to catch the lobster (the attacker). The attacker, like the lobster, doesn’t make it easy. They adapt, finding new ways to burrow deeper into systems or disguise their activities. Every time the diver closes in, the lobster scuttles away to a new spot, forcing the diver to rethink their approach.

This diver-lobster dynamic captures the essence of cybersecurity—constant pursuit, adaptation, and a race to outsmart one another. Just as a diver needs patience and precision to outmaneuver a lobster, cybersecurity experts must stay vigilant, continually refining their methods to identify and catch attackers before they slip out of reach.

I don't know about you, but I am about ready to start heating the butter with all this talk of Lobster. However, we never got any today...I will have to wait for the next chance to catch that wily lobster and will be watching for those malicious actors.

I mourn any loss of life. War is truly a terrible thing for all involved. The Lebanon pager explosions that were executed by explosive devices were hidden inside pagers gave me pause today. On the one hand lives were lost and there was collateral damage as well. Having said that, there was a high level of apparent "precision" that limited civilian damage somewhat.

These explosions, believed to have been caused by compromise of the supply chain to inject malicious payloads into the very core of the Hezbollah organization, caused significant harm to that group's soldiers, while seeminly limiting damage to civilians.

I refuse to get into the politics of this action or the whole conflict right now. I have opinions (as does everyone else) but want to constrain my conversation to business matters, which is the purpose of LinkedIn. First, I do want to apologize if this seems to be insensitive or too early. My goal is not to do that, but rather to take this opportunity to highlight how easy it is to miss a threat in the mundane. I am sorry for the losses to all civilians associated and pray for peace in the middle east.

Now let's try to learn something from this.. The concept behind the pager explosions was to use an everyday, unassuming object to deliver a lethal attack, catching the target off guard and causing destruction without detection until it was too late.

This reminds me of a slow, stealthy cyberattack in several ways:

1. Hidden Threat:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: The bombs were embedded within seemingly harmless devices like pagers. The targets were unaware that the very tools they relied on for communication or other tasks contained a deadly threat.

Cyberattack: In a slow cyberattack, malicious code can be hidden inside legitimate software or systems. Attackers often disguise their presence within normal network traffic, using tools and processes the organization trusts, making it difficult to detect.

2. Delayed Activation:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: The bombs weren’t detonated immediately upon use. The assassins timed the explosions carefully, waiting for the right moment to strike, in this case it was en masse affecting hundreds at once.

Cyberattack: Slow cyberattacks, like Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), also don’t cause immediate damage. Instead, attackers slowly infiltrate networks, gather intelligence, escalate privileges, and position themselves within the system over time, only revealing their malicious intent when they are ready to cause maximum damage or steal valuable information.

3. Targeted Nature:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: The attacks were highly targeted, with a specific group being the focus. The goal wasn’t widespread destruction, but a precise hit that could eliminate key figures with minimal collateral damage.

Cyberattack: Slow-moving cyberattacks are similarly targeted. Attackers often aim at specific assets, like sensitive data, intellectual property, or even infrastructure systems. They take the time to understand their victim's environment, ensuring the attack is precise and effective.

4. Psychological Impact:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: The explosions were shocking not only because of the physical damage but also because they instill fear and paranoia. If something as innocuous as a pager could be a bomb, nothing feels safe.

Cyberattack: A slow cyberattack also plays on psychological fear, particularly once detected. Knowing that an attacker may have been inside your network for months, or even years, undetected can create a sense of insecurity. It makes organizations question their defenses and wonder what other systems might be compromised.

5. Sophistication and Strategy:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: These attacks required careful planning, patience, and the ability to exploit a vulnerability in the target’s everyday routine. The explosives were well-concealed, and the operation took significant effort to remain unnoticed.

Cyberattack: Similarly, sophisticated cyberattacks are meticulously planned. Cybercriminals often spend months or even years mapping out the organization's network, exploiting vulnerabilities, and gathering valuable information before making their move.

6. Aftermath:

Lebanon Pager Explosions: Once the bomb detonated, the damage was irreversible, but it also left a trail that might eventually point back to the source, though that remains to be seen.

Cyberattack: After a slow cyberattack reveals itself, the victim is left to assess the damage, often finding that large amounts of data have been exfiltrated or that systems have been compromised. The forensics needed to understand the attack can be difficult and slow, especially because the attacker has been careful to cover their tracks.

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The Lebanon pager explosions represent a type of covert, delayed, and targeted attack, much like a slow cyberattack. Both involve a strategy of concealment and patience, ensuring that the target is unaware of the danger until the final strike. The devastation is precise and personal, whether it's an explosive device inside a pager or a hidden cyber threat inside a network. Both types of attacks also leave a profound psychological impact, shaking the sense of security and control the victim once had.

This time of year is famous in Key West for Fantasy Fest. It is a celebration that many flock to from around the country. If I am completely honest, it is not my cup of tea...think Mardi Gras without filters. Now, while Fantasy Fest may not be your vibe either, I have found that there is a whole industry and competition around who makes the best Key Lime Pie.  Some make it with whipped cream topping, while others do some sort of Meringue. Every single one is different. Some restaurants even serve "Fried" (with varying levels of success). I will say that I have found what I believe to be the best recipe for this delectable treat. Those who have tasted it agree that it is the best they have had as well.

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There's an art to crafting the perfect key lime pie - balancing the sweet and tart flavors, the luscious filling, and the crisp crust. Get it right, and you have a delectable dessert that delights the senses. Get it wrong, and it's a sour, soggy mess.

The same goes for building an effective cybersecurity program. Just as a key lime pie requires careful calibration, so too must security leaders strike the right balance in their people, processes, and technologies.

The Sweet and the Tart 

The filling of a key lime pie represents the technologies and "cutting-edge" security controls that protect your organization. The tartness of the lime juice signifies the innovative, aggressive security measures - the latest threat intelligence, AI-powered detection, and zero-trust architectures. They provide that "zing" to a security practice.

But this tart filling needs to be balanced by the sweetness of the condensed milk. This is your organizational culture, your security awareness training, and your focus on the fundamentals. The "basic cyber hygiene" that may not be flashy, but is absolutely essential. When a security practice has permeated the culture of an oganization to where everyone is on the "security team", there is a sweetness to the interaction that makes everything operate better.

Security leaders must resist the urge to solely concentrate on the latest shiny security toys. While new technologies are important, you can't let them overshadow the need for a security-aware workforce and a strong foundation of core security controls. Fail to get this balance right, and your cybersecurity program will be as unpalatable as a key lime pie that's all tart and not sweet.

The Crust to Filling Ratio 

Speaking of balance, let's talk about the ratio of crust to filling. In a great key lime pie, the buttery graham cracker crust complements the rich, creamy filling - neither overwhelming the other.

In cybersecurity, the crust represents your administrative controls - your policies, procedures, governance, and risk management frameworks. This crust provides structure to the pie as does having proper administrative controls underpinning your technical efforts. The filling is your technical controls - the firewalls, encryption, identity management, and other security technologies.

The key is ensuring you have the right balance between the two. Too much focus on technical wizardry without the supporting administrative foundation, and your security program will crumble. Conversely, robust policies without the technical implementation to back them up are like a pie crust with nothing in the middle.

Striking the right crust-to-filling ratio is critical. Invest too heavily in technical controls without the administrative backstop, and you're left with organizational and personnel-related vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited. Overemphasize the policies and paperwork without the technical muscle, and you'll have a false sense of security that can shatter at the first sign of a cyberattack.

Just like the perfect key lime pie, building an effective cybersecurity organization requires a deft touch. Sweet and tart, crust and filling - get the balance right, and you'll have a cybersecurity program that's a delight to experience.

The Topping

The topping on a Key Lime Pie provides a critical contrast to the tart filling and graham crust. It provides a light, sweet contrast to the rich filling. When I make mine, I add some rum flavor and coconut flavor (just a hint of each). Executive leadership is a lot like that topping. With excellent leadership backing, the whole security practice is that much better. Visually there is a top cover for the "pie" of the security organization. When made right, the topping actually makes the pie better just like a balanced and supportive executive team makes the security practice better.

How is your "Key Lime Recipe" (security practice? Are you balanced? Do you have a good topping? If any of these answers are no, then I propose that you have an opportunity to create a good roadmap to dial things in and get to that delectable place that makes everyone want to see how you do it.